find the definition of Jihad as “a holy
war undertaken by Muslims against

non-believers”. This is a very poor
definition. Before trying to define what

Jihad is, we should first define what it is NOT.

Jihad is NOT
Holy War

Jihad is NOT
blowing up one’s self (Suicide is a sin
in Islam)

Hadith : Shahi
Bukhari.
Book 23. Funerals (Al-Janaa'iz).

Volumn 002, Book 023,
Hadith Number 445.-----------------------------------------Narated By Thabit
bin Ad-Dahhak : The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "Whoever intentionally
swears falsely by a religion other than Islam, then he is what he has
said, (e.g. if he says, 'If such thing is not true then I am a Jew,' he
is really a Jew). And whoever commits suicide with piece of iron will
be punished with the same piece of iron in the Hell Fire." Narrated
Jundab the Prophet said, "A man was inflicted with wounds and he
committed suicide, and so Allah said: My slave has caused death on
himself hurriedly, so I forbid Paradise for him."

Jihad is NOT
killing innocent people

Jihad is NOT
flying a plane into a building packed with civilians

Jihad is NOT
fighting out of anger and hatred

Jihad is NOT
killing others just because they don’t agree with
you

Jihad is NOT
killing others just because they are not Muslims

The real meaning of Jihad

Jihad is an Arabic word from the root Jee
Ha Da. It literally means to

struggle or strive. Jihad is struggling or
striving in the way or sake of

Allah. Jihad takes a very important status
in the doctrine of Islam and is

one of the basic duties for every Muslim.

Though, it has nothing whatsoever to do
with the term Holy War. Such

a term, or its equivalent
doesn’t exist in the Islamic doctrine. The Christian

Crusaders in the mid-ages invented this
ideology of Holy War.

There is nothing
“Holy” about wars. Wars only involve killings
and disasters!

Jihad
has many forms,

Jihad of the heart/soul (jihad bin nafs/qalb)

Jihad by the tongue (jihad bil lisan)

Jihad by the pen/knowledge (jihad bil qalam/ilm)

Jihad by the hand (jihad bil yad)

Jihad by the sword (jihad bis saif)

Jihad of the Heart/Soul

Jihad of the heart/soul; in Arabic: jihad bin
nafs/qalb. It is referred as

“the greater
Jihad” (al-jihad al-akbar).

It is one’s inner struggle of good
against evil; refraining oneself from the